PO 1. Predict text content using prior knowledge and text features (e.g., illustrations, titles, topic sentences, key words).
PO 4. Connect information and events in text to experience and to related text and sources.
Strand 2: Comprehending Literary Text
Concept 1: Elements of Literature
PO 1. Evaluate the author’s use of literary elements:
- Theme (moral, lesson, meaning, message, view or comment on life)
- Point of View (e.g., first vs. third, limited vs. omniscient)
- Characterization (qualities, motives, actions, thoughts, dialogue, development, interactions)
- Setting (time of day or year, historical period, place, situation)
- Plot (exposition, major and minor conflicts, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution)
PO 3. Analyze the way in which the theme or meaning of a selection represents a view or comment on life, providing textual evidence for the identified theme.
Concept 2: Historical and Cultural Aspects of Literature
PO 1. Describe the historical and cultural aspects found in cross-cultural works of literature.
PO 2. Relate literary works to the traditions, themes, and issues of their eras.
Empowering Students:
The English section of the Interdisciplinary Unit, which is centered on conflict producing change, will meaningfully cover each concept and generalization in ways which will both enlighten the text of “Animal Farm” as well the student’s sense of place in society. The aim of this unit, in English particularly, is to provide evidence and opportunities for students to discover how being an active member in society can produce meaningful and positive change.
For two classes every week, students will lead discussions based on the guiding question of the week, using “Animal Farm” as evidence for their observations and ideas. Discussions will be held in a ‘Socratic Seminar’ type style. Students will use “Animal Farm” as their launching point and their evidence, but they are encouraged, if not required, to broaden the scope of the question to their own lives.
Journals and Writing Workshops will also give students a large amount of freedom to explore the topics in their own way, and discuss it in meaningful ways with their peers.
Week one will focus on the student’s ability to predict future events within the text, while identifying conflicts and consequences. Additionally, students will understand how differences and intolerance can lead to racism. Week two will focus on the concept of freedom, with an emphasis on the differences and similarities between equality and freedom, and asks students if freedom is obtainable when one entity is given power over others. Week three will focus on the vital role of each student’s involvement in reaching a compromise. Each of these themes will sync up with sections in the book, so students are learning the concepts and generalizations as they read them in the text, making the Unit more meaningful. At the end of the Unit, students should be able to understand that they make meaningful impacts on society through their actions.
Calendar:
Week 1: “Animal Farm” Chapters 1-4
Monday
Background Information on “Animal Farm” Lecture and Discussion on chapters 1-2 “Animal Farm” Journals are started (Week Topic: Probable Consequences)
Tuesday
Lecture and Discussion on chapters 3-4 Elements of Literature within chapters 1-4
Wednesday
Topics on Racism; how differences cause conflict (and its place in Animal Farm)
Thursday
Topic Discussion: Cause and Effect of the differences in the animals of “Animal Farm”
Friday
Writing Workshop for journals Post-It Notes activity directions given. Students will do this for chapters 5-7 for week 2. First part of “Animal Farm” film
Week 2: “Animal Farm” Chapters 5-7
Monday
Lecture and Discussion on chapters 5-7 “Animal Farm” Journals (Week Topic: Equality vs. Freedom)
Tuesday
Elements of Literature within chapters 5-7 Post-It Notes Activity
Wednesday
Topics on Freedom; how conflict can produce varying levels of freedom (and how it relates to “Animal Farm”)
Thursday
Topic Discussion: Analyzing how the beliefs of some can affect the freedoms of everyone
Friday
Writing Workshop for journals RAFT groups are assigned, and directions given Second part of “Animal Farm” film
Week 3: “Animal Farm” Chapters 8-10
Monday
Lecture and Discussion on chapters 8-10 “Animal Farm” Journals (Week Topic: Contributing to a Compromise)
Tuesday
Elements of Literature within chapters 5-7 Topics on Compromise; Can complacency and lack of involvement lead towards little or negative change? (and how it relates to “Animal Farm”) - Tie this quote to unit theme: “All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.”
Wednesday
RAFT Activity Topic Discussion: When does compromise begin to diminish, turning into dictations.
Thursday
Quiz on Animal Farm
Writing Workshop for Journals
Friday
End of Unit Discussion: - Topic: A lack of tolerance, freedom and compromise leads to little to no change. Collecting Journals Finish “Animal Farm” film
Assessment:
Students will be assessed both in a formative and summative manner, in 4 ways.
Teacher observations will make up one aspect of assessment, done covertly during class discussions. During these observations, I will look for student participation, the depth of their ideas, and their comprehension of both the text and the issues.
Students will also be assessed based on their journal entries. These entries need to satisfactorily explore each of the topics we discuss each week, and have student led discussion and revision notes within, both from the Writing Workshops. I will check to make sure students understand the themes we discuss.
In addition to my own journal checks, students will critique each other’s journals, and decide how well each other discuss the topics at hand. The student critiques will be factored into journal grades and participation.
Lastly, a quiz at the end of the unit will be given, assessing the student’s understanding of “Animal Farm” as well as the concepts we covered.
State Standards:
Strand 1: Reading Process
Concept 6: Comprehension Strategies
PO 1. Predict text content using prior knowledge and text features (e.g., illustrations, titles, topic sentences, key words).
PO 4. Connect information and events in text to experience and to related text and sources.
Strand 2: Comprehending Literary Text
Concept 1: Elements of Literature
PO 1. Evaluate the author’s use of literary elements:
- Theme (moral, lesson, meaning, message, view or comment on life)
- Point of View (e.g., first vs. third, limited vs. omniscient)
- Characterization (qualities, motives, actions, thoughts, dialogue, development, interactions)
- Setting (time of day or year, historical period, place, situation)
- Plot (exposition, major and minor conflicts, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution)
PO 3. Analyze the way in which the theme or meaning of a selection represents a view or comment on life, providing textual evidence for the identified theme.
Concept 2: Historical and Cultural Aspects of Literature
PO 1. Describe the historical and cultural aspects found in cross-cultural works of literature.
PO 2. Relate literary works to the traditions, themes, and issues of their eras.
Empowering Students:
The English section of the Interdisciplinary Unit, which is centered on conflict producing change, will meaningfully cover each concept and generalization in ways which will both enlighten the text of “Animal Farm” as well the student’s sense of place in society. The aim of this unit, in English particularly, is to provide evidence and opportunities for students to discover how being an active member in society can produce meaningful and positive change.
For two classes every week, students will lead discussions based on the guiding question of the week, using “Animal Farm” as evidence for their observations and ideas. Discussions will be held in a ‘Socratic Seminar’ type style. Students will use “Animal Farm” as their launching point and their evidence, but they are encouraged, if not required, to broaden the scope of the question to their own lives.
Journals and Writing Workshops will also give students a large amount of freedom to explore the topics in their own way, and discuss it in meaningful ways with their peers.
Week one will focus on the student’s ability to predict future events within the text, while identifying conflicts and consequences. Additionally, students will understand how differences and intolerance can lead to racism. Week two will focus on the concept of freedom, with an emphasis on the differences and similarities between equality and freedom, and asks students if freedom is obtainable when one entity is given power over others. Week three will focus on the vital role of each student’s involvement in reaching a compromise. Each of these themes will sync up with sections in the book, so students are learning the concepts and generalizations as they read them in the text, making the Unit more meaningful. At the end of the Unit, students should be able to understand that they make meaningful impacts on society through their actions.
Calendar:
Week 1: “Animal Farm” Chapters 1-4
Monday
Background Information on “Animal Farm”Lecture and Discussion on chapters 1-2
“Animal Farm” Journals are started (Week Topic: Probable Consequences)
Tuesday
Lecture and Discussion on chapters 3-4Elements of Literature within chapters 1-4
Wednesday
Topics on Racism; how differences cause conflict (and its place in Animal Farm)Thursday
Topic Discussion: Cause and Effect of the differences in the animals of “Animal Farm”Friday
Writing Workshop for journalsPost-It Notes activity directions given. Students will do this for chapters 5-7 for week 2.
First part of “Animal Farm” film
Week 2: “Animal Farm” Chapters 5-7
Monday
Lecture and Discussion on chapters 5-7“Animal Farm” Journals (Week Topic: Equality vs. Freedom)
Tuesday
Elements of Literature within chapters 5-7Post-It Notes Activity
Wednesday
Topics on Freedom; how conflict can produce varying levels of freedom (and how it relates to “Animal Farm”)Thursday
Topic Discussion: Analyzing how the beliefs of some can affect the freedoms of everyoneFriday
Writing Workshop for journalsRAFT groups are assigned, and directions given
Second part of “Animal Farm” film
Week 3: “Animal Farm” Chapters 8-10
Monday
Lecture and Discussion on chapters 8-10“Animal Farm” Journals (Week Topic: Contributing to a Compromise)
Tuesday
Elements of Literature within chapters 5-7Topics on Compromise; Can complacency and lack of involvement lead towards little or negative change? (and how it relates to “Animal Farm”)
- Tie this quote to unit theme: “All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.”
Wednesday
RAFT ActivityTopic Discussion: When does compromise begin to diminish, turning into dictations.
Thursday
Quiz on Animal Farm
Writing Workshop for JournalsFriday
End of Unit Discussion:- Topic: A lack of tolerance, freedom and compromise leads to little to no change.
Collecting Journals
Finish “Animal Farm” film
Assessment:
Students will be assessed both in a formative and summative manner, in 4 ways.
Teacher observations will make up one aspect of assessment, done covertly during class discussions. During these observations, I will look for student participation, the depth of their ideas, and their comprehension of both the text and the issues.
Students will also be assessed based on their journal entries. These entries need to satisfactorily explore each of the topics we discuss each week, and have student led discussion and revision notes within, both from the Writing Workshops. I will check to make sure students understand the themes we discuss.
In addition to my own journal checks, students will critique each other’s journals, and decide how well each other discuss the topics at hand. The student critiques will be factored into journal grades and participation.
Lastly, a quiz at the end of the unit will be given, assessing the student’s understanding of “Animal Farm” as well as the concepts we covered.
Literacy Strategies:
Post-It Notes
RAFT
Resources:
“Animal Farm” by George Orwell.
- class books
“Animal Farm” film
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZldlyeR8DU